Presented in January, the federal council savings program to save 2.7 billion in 2027 is widely criticized. The left and the sectoral associations directly affected oppose it fundamentally, while the center judges the excessive judge. The right overall supports the package but rejects the proposals for the increase in revenues. As it stands, the project has almost no chance of passing the ramp.
First party in Parliament, theUDC Salt a “Program for the purification of federal expenses” which he deems “necessary”. He even says he is favorable to savings up to five billion. The party particularly salutes cuts in culture and leisure, the environment and regional planning, international cooperation and administration staff. On the other hand, he rejects discounts in agriculture and road traffic.
>> More details: The Confederation provides 2.7 billion francs in 2027
The PLR supports all of the budget cuts. He salutes the approach of acting first on expenses and insists on a substantial control in this area. On the other hand, he rejects several options for increasing revenue, including the increase in the taxation of capital withdrawals from retirement assets. “The revenues are flourishing, the Confederation does not have a problem of revenue but of expenses,” he said.
Conversely, The center Calls the Federal Council to act on revenue, even if it is appropriate that savings are also necessary, in particular to ensure the “essential” increase in army funding and old age foresight. However, he rejects “disproportionate cuts” in certain areas and rather advocates the expenses of those in which “budgets have long increased disproportionately”.
“Dismantling”, “anti -democratic” project and vision “without future”
On the left, the Socialist party rejects the whole “dismantling project” which he deems undemocratic. It firmly opposes the increase in defense expenses to be funded by cuts in training, the environment or social justice, and rather defends compensatory funding by increasing revenues. He believes that if the project was adopted as it is, the framework of federal finances would be modified, questioning the fundamental role of the Confederation and certain decisions of the Parliament and the people.
On the side of Vert-eswe denounce a “without future” federal council which wants to “back up Switzerland for several decades”. For environmentalists, the Federal Council wants to impose an austerity policy at the expense of the environment and the young generation. In particular, they castigate the increase in the price of public transport and the doubling of study taxes. The party is currently reaping funds to organize a large campaign against this packet of savings.
THE Green require a “clear definition of priorities in savings measures”. They denounce the “privileges of certain branches”, which must be removed, and press for “investments in the future”.
-The Conference of cantonal governments judges the “extremely unsatisfactory” project. Even if she admits that measures “must be taken”, she regrets not having been associated with the work. The cantons believe that economies are made to their detriment and question recent popular decisions.
Cuts in science, training and innovation castigated
Critics are also raining on the side of branch organizations in the fields affected by the cuts. A large scientific alliance warns against a reduction in the means allocated to training, estimated at more than 460 million francs per year, as well as the increase in study taxes. It also fears a strengthening of the shortage of qualified personnel. According to her, each franc saved in the encouragement of research and innovation would mean an economic loss of up to five francs.
>> Read on this subject: United front of training and research in the face of the budget cuts of the Federal Council
Unsurprisingly, theSwiss union union (USS) denounces an “useless” austerity cure, wrong from an economic and unacceptable point of view for the population. According to the USS, the main problems of Swiss financial policy are not debts and deficits, but the surpluses and the constitution of a fortune by the State – 120 billion francs in equity – to the detriment of private households and social insurance.
Threats to democracy and national unity?
Conversely, theSwiss Union of Arts and Crafts (USAM) Selves a package which, according to her, allows “sustainable stabilization of the federal budget by optimizing the use of resources”. However, the ridge believes that measures must particularly target the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAE). USAM, however, rejects the cuts in vocational training and in indirect press support, areas deemed essential for the economic future of Switzerland and the diversity of opinions.
>> Read also: International public media in danger in democracies
The Federal Council will read the results of the consultation, which ends on Monday, and should develop a message by fall. Parliament should debate the package during the winter session. If it passes in one form or another, the people should then have the last word.
Jop with ATS
